Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

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La Villa Strangiato
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Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by La Villa Strangiato » Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:06 am

I could be totally out of line, correct me if I'm wrong, but rakshasas are kind of a lame race, mechanics-wise.

Let's take a look at their stats;
The Arelith Wiki wrote: Abilities:

+2 Dex
+2 Cha
SR 26
5/+2 DR
+8 Bluff
Skill Affinity: Listen
Skill Affinity: Spot
+10 to Seeing Track Details

+5 ECL
Now, let's take a look at the drow stats, a race which is not an award, and has +2 ECL.
The Arelith Wiki wrote: Retains all base racial abilities, except the stats change

DEX +2, CON -2, INT +2, CHA +2
Darkvision
Spell Resistance: 11+level (capped at 26)
Spell-Like Ability: Darkness with CL equal to Character Level (5 turns cooldown)
Bonus Feat: Rapid Reload

ECL +2
Drow get three +2 increases to stats, and the same spell resistance as rakshasa at level 30. They also get a major gift due to their ECL, which means that functionally a rakshasa, which costs a Major award, will have lower stats than an awardless race. Obviously, rakshasa get some extra goodies like +8 Bluff and some DR, but this really isn't that fantastic when you can achieve a much stronger character on a race you don't even have to spend an award on. It also means your character concepts as a rakshasa are a bit more limited than the average awardless race.

Obviously I don't think rakshasa should be the legendarily strong monsters that they are in actual 3.5e (immune to spells below 6th level, etc.) if they're going to be player characters on Arelith, but I do think some of the maluses on rakshasa are a little harsh and should be potentially lowered. Reducing the ECL on a rakshasa to at least give them one major gift would be a nice addition and give a little more range to someone looking to play a STR build on one (or something like that). Even giving a rak +2 INT as part of their base package (but keeping their ECL) would bump them up a bit.
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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Xerah » Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:47 am

Did you completely ignore the most important and unique aspect of playing a Rakshaka?
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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Svrtr » Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:52 am

I have to agree that as "quirky" as the one unique thing of Rakshasa is, the race as a whole seems weak

I'd argue that they should be unique in keeping their old SR overall, since their effectiveness in hiding in with the transformation and 8 bluff seems cool in theory but in actuality let's be real, there's no way to gauge it but people will still be guilty of meta-ing someone in a disguise with the quotation marks.

A bit more SR and a cookie here or there though seems fine

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Dreams » Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:43 am

It’s only +2 Bluff over someone taking a Gift of the Gab (+6), which you can’t take on a +5ECL. As it currently stands, it is VERY easy to uncover rakshasa through mechanical methods that lead to some really not-fun outcomes. The most special thing about it is also exactly what will ruin your character if one person happens to metagame.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Skibbles » Sat Jul 02, 2022 5:55 am

Xerah wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:47 am
Did you completely ignore the most important and unique aspect of playing a Rakshaka?
Was gonna say this.

I've seen Rakshasha tricks recently, and it was pretty mind blowing how they could just pop around shifting faces that easily.

I thought it was really cool, and each time they RPd with me I actually legit thought it was just a different PC until they'd say, 'It's me...' and I'd be like 'DAMMIT BAMBOOZLED AGAIN'.

They're really cool.
Irongron wrote: [...] the super-secret Arelith development roadmap is a post apocalyptic wasteland populated with competing tribes of hand-bombard wielding techno-giants, and strewn with the bones of long dead elves.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Drowboy » Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:05 am

Reward races aren't supposed (mileage may vary) to be stronger than freely available races.
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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by La Villa Strangiato » Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:29 am

Drowboy wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:05 am
Reward races aren't supposed (mileage may vary) to be stronger than freely available races.
I don't think it's controversial to say most of the major-tier races are really strong and versatile, like tiefling, firbolg, and vampire. Sure, the fact that rakshasa is major-tier is likely meant to encourage scarcity, alongside it being app-locked, but in comparison to the named races it's sort of lackluster, especially when it has +5 ECL, which really limits the diversity of builds you can play with it.
Xerah wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 3:47 am
Did you completely ignore the most important and unique aspect of playing a Rakshaka?
Yes.
Skibbles wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 5:55 am
Was gonna say this.

I've seen Rakshasha tricks recently, and it was pretty mind blowing how they could just pop around shifting faces that easily.

I thought it was really cool, and each time they RPd with me I actually legit thought it was just a different PC until they'd say, 'It's me...' and I'd be like 'DAMMIT BAMBOOZLED AGAIN'.

They're really cool.
I've seen strong roleplayers who aren't rakshasa who have managed to do basically the same thing with their disguises-- changing their IC mannerisms and clothing styles to pull off some pretty impressive spywork, all while having a major gift. Until recently rakshasa couldn't even change their heads to be different #'s or change into drow. It's a cool mechanic, yes, but what you're given to make the most of it with amounts to +8 Bluff (which isn't very much) and a race that's very difficult to even fit into a simple build like a 27/3 divsorc.

And I guess you could be like "La Villa Strangiato, you don't need to be mechanically viable to have a good time!", but if I played a rakshasa, it's a given that I'm playing a villain and I'm going to get into a fight with a good-aligned individual who doesn't like fiends much. I prefer my Ls in PvP be due to my own (lack of) skill rather than the fact my build isn't very good.

I could say something like "I think this race that you need an approved application and a 5% chance at merely playing should be just a little bit spicier in strength than a thing anyone can roll up", but then we go back to "oh, reward races aren't supposed to be stronger", then we go back to the culture of awards.
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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by BattleDrake » Sat Jul 02, 2022 9:51 am

I'm a player of a str based Rakshasa, and while I agree with you that they're a 'little' weaker on the stat side, they're not completely inferior. Remember, that you can be any base race, so you can choose one that helps you with the stats you're after. Mine was half-orc because I wanted str, orc language, and the ambidexterity feat for dual wielding. On top of that, you get free sr, dr which helps even at higher levels but I admit isn't 'all' that great, +2 dex/cha, and when compared to a drow, you don't get sunburned. That's a huge weakness of theirs that you don't suffer from. My build was very similar to my previous drow build, and I definitely don't feel any weaker. You also have the benefit of not being ousted by True Seeing like in Lore (thank goodness for that, based on all the true seeing + clairvoyance I see just because my name is "DisguisedNameHere"), or from death. So, you've got it really good. 2 ways to out you, and they're really rare to happen. You'd have to fail the save on one, and the other would have to be someone who suspects for very good reasons, and then decides to try and kill you with it (and if it doesn't because you warded, you might say the vfx gives it away, but you could rp your way out of it maybe).

As a note to your mention of good rpers blending in as good as any rakshasa without the reward, I can say, they're nothing in comparison. A human can throw on a hood, and try and pretend to be another person, but the moment the hood is down, or their disguise broken, they're done for. Most can't even rp as another race. There's a great amount of limitation. Rakshasa aren't limited, at all. Even before the head change, we had tricks to have 4-5 different head variations. There's also nothing stopping me from becoming an elf, and ruling Myon (Which I just may one day, watch out!), or becoming a dwarf the next, and becoming Thane of Brog (except for my terrible rp, of course). It's not just a gimmick of changing your race and head; it's a huge advantage to becoming someone completely different anytime you want.

If there was any weakness to a Rakshasa, it is their need for languages, and no option to take gift of the tongue. This limits you to having to take something with LM or ignore trying to go for languages. Fortunately, there's a lot of LM builds that are really good (Swash/LM was mine originally), but I get that it limits you. If anything was to change, I'd vote for giving Rakshasa more languages, but otherwise, I don't see them needing more stats. Personally.

Recent Characters:
Aramis - "S'fine piece of art yer havin' there." (Shelved)
Eradyn - Trying to make the world a better place. (Shelved)
[Redacted] - ? (?)
Skek - Happiness in Endless Industry. (Rolled)


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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Skibbles » Sat Jul 02, 2022 10:30 am

I'm actually willing to bet I was running into Battledrake lol.

Anyway, I think they're pretty right on. The advantage is pretty bonkers.

Disguised characters are everywhere. Yes, once you sort of pick up the trail or you bust someone's disguise they're more or less burned, and that can happen to a Rakshasha too.

However what I found to be the case with my own story was that I'd get used to the drow-shasha, then two or three days would pass and I'd carry on in lots of other RP, then be approached by a disguised human-shasha.

After this passage of time, and seeing disguised characters everywhere all the time anyway, it's pretty hard to make the connection that this totally new disguised character with completely different features is actually the same from last week that was a drow.

Hearing some of the IG rumors and stories surrounding the race seems to support this a bit. They seem to be able to create quite a bit of chaos and paranoia just as a single agent - which I don't think any other race can quite match in that way.
Irongron wrote: [...] the super-secret Arelith development roadmap is a post apocalyptic wasteland populated with competing tribes of hand-bombard wielding techno-giants, and strewn with the bones of long dead elves.

So we're very much on track.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Kalopsia » Sat Jul 02, 2022 11:23 am

This might be a good time to mention that some time ago, I've given Rakshasa a bit of love. Not in terms of stats, but rather by updating countless race checks to also accept polymorphed Rakshasa. Various places, NPCs and even portals that could be used to "out" them now can be tricked with the correct shapes.

We've decided not to announce this change when it went live to avoid metagaming, but the race got significantly better at their infiltrator niche ever since - and hopefully quite a bit scarier as a result.

Regarding the stats, I think that while RP utility is hard to quantify from a purely mechanical standpoint, it's definitely a thing to consider during balance decisions. We should not let classes or races with superior utility reach the same numbers as those without, because at that point they turn into an obvious choice and aren't necessarily played for the RP anymore, but rather because they're "optimal".

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Shadowy Reality » Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:26 pm

I honestly feel like Rakshasas should get a big boost to Bluff. It doesn't feel fair or right that someone can pass through Timmy the Halfling's bluff and see something is weird. And a month later get past Grok the Half-Orc and match them together, automatically piecing that it must be a shapeshifter of some sort. It should be a lot harder to do this.

One thing is to identify that human that either puts on a moustache, or takes off moustace and puts on a wig. Another is to identify someone shifting between races.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by BattleDrake » Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:43 pm

Shadowy Reality wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:26 pm
I honestly feel like Rakshasas should get a big boost to Bluff. It doesn't feel fair or right that someone can pass through Timmy the Halfling's bluff and see something is weird. And a month later get past Grok the Half-Orc and match them together, automatically piecing that it must be a shapeshifter of some sort. It should be a lot harder to do this.

One thing is to identify that human that either puts on a moustache, or takes off moustace and puts on a wig. Another is to identify someone shifting between races.
Do you play one and find this happens to you a lot? I know most Rakshasa, including myself, have very high bluff/perform. 80/90/100+. Something you just naturally build for. During leveling, you get your disguised broken quite a bit, but nobody ever comments on it, and I've never had anyone break my disguise and accuse me of being a Rak. Once you get those epic numbers, the amount of people able to break those levels are so minimal, I haven't found it an issue at all. I almost never see piety saves, and even then I've only ever seen 1 or 2 [Your Disguise Has Been Broken] messages. That would need to happen twice with two separate forms in a short enough timeframe for someone to remember your name. I've never had it happen, personally. I think if it does happen, it should be encouragement to bump up your own bluff/perform with whatever means you can. Keep in mind, it doesn't mean the person knows you're a rak, they could just think you're suspicious, or that your mannerisms are similar to another. Tell them you're related or something :D.

Recent Characters:
Aramis - "S'fine piece of art yer havin' there." (Shelved)
Eradyn - Trying to make the world a better place. (Shelved)
[Redacted] - ? (?)
Skek - Happiness in Endless Industry. (Rolled)


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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by _-HiM-_ » Sat Jul 02, 2022 2:04 pm

Kalopsia wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 11:23 am
This might be a good time to mention that some time ago, I've given Rakshasa a bit of love. Not in terms of stats, but rather by updating countless race checks to also accept polymorphed Rakshasa. Various places, NPCs and even portals that could be used to "out" them now can be tricked with the correct shapes.

We've decided not to announce this change when it went live to avoid metagaming, but the race got significantly better at their infiltrator niche ever since - and hopefully quite a bit scarier as a result.

Regarding the stats, I think that while RP utility is hard to quantify from a purely mechanical standpoint, it's definitely a thing to consider during balance decisions. We should not let classes or races with superior utility reach the same numbers as those without, because at that point they turn into an obvious choice and aren't necessarily played for the RP anymore, but rather because they're "optimal".
One thing I was surprised about with Rak was being unable to join UD settlements or use the dwarf from Greyport to Saltspar :(

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Shadowy Reality » Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:01 pm

BattleDrake wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:43 pm
Shadowy Reality wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:26 pm
I honestly feel like Rakshasas should get a big boost to Bluff. It doesn't feel fair or right that someone can pass through Timmy the Halfling's bluff and see something is weird. And a month later get past Grok the Half-Orc and match them together, automatically piecing that it must be a shapeshifter of some sort. It should be a lot harder to do this.

One thing is to identify that human that either puts on a moustache, or takes off moustace and puts on a wig. Another is to identify someone shifting between races.
Do you play one and find this happens to you a lot? I know most Rakshasa, including myself, have very high bluff/perform. 80/90/100+. Something you just naturally build for. During leveling, you get your disguised broken quite a bit, but nobody ever comments on it, and I've never had anyone break my disguise and accuse me of being a Rak. Once you get those epic numbers, the amount of people able to break those levels are so minimal, I haven't found it an issue at all. I almost never see piety saves, and even then I've only ever seen 1 or 2 [Your Disguise Has Been Broken] messages. That would need to happen twice with two separate forms in a short enough timeframe for someone to remember your name. I've never had it happen, personally. I think if it does happen, it should be encouragement to bump up your own bluff/perform with whatever means you can. Keep in mind, it doesn't mean the person knows you're a rak, they could just think you're suspicious, or that your mannerisms are similar to another. Tell them you're related or something :D.
I don't play one. What I am trying to argue is that if we use your build and your items and switch it for a Human. The Human version will have about the same Bluff score. I am arguing Rakshasas should have it much easier to Bluff when compared to same build and items, because it makes sense.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Waldo52 » Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:37 pm

I think the devs have done a pretty good job of limiting unique snowflake characters. If you want wings or horns or whatever you need to put in thousands of hours of work for it, and the power advantage you get for all that work doesn't tend to be too out of control.

I'll be damned if I play a game where furries stomp all over everyone. Please do not buff tiger people. Gnomes still have basically nothing going for them other than constitution and illusions, let's talk about that.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Eyeliner » Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:52 pm

Maybe since they are a race you have to get approved for Raks could be the exception to having quotes around their disguise name. That’s a huge RP but not mechanical buff.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Party in the forest at midnight » Sat Jul 02, 2022 7:21 pm

Eyeliner wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 6:52 pm
Maybe since they are a race you have to get approved for Raks could be the exception to having quotes around their disguise name. That’s a huge RP but not mechanical buff.
It'd out the immediately once someone breaks their disguise and realizes "Wait, that person doesn't have quotations around their name!"

It'd be OOC info, but with that, people can do a number of IC things to "prove" that it's a rakshasa.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by BattleDrake » Sat Jul 02, 2022 10:59 pm

Shadowy Reality wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:01 pm
BattleDrake wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:43 pm
Shadowy Reality wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:26 pm
I honestly feel like Rakshasas should get a big boost to Bluff. It doesn't feel fair or right that someone can pass through Timmy the Halfling's bluff and see something is weird. And a month later get past Grok the Half-Orc and match them together, automatically piecing that it must be a shapeshifter of some sort. It should be a lot harder to do this.

One thing is to identify that human that either puts on a moustache, or takes off moustace and puts on a wig. Another is to identify someone shifting between races.
Do you play one and find this happens to you a lot? I know most Rakshasa, including myself, have very high bluff/perform. 80/90/100+. Something you just naturally build for. During leveling, you get your disguised broken quite a bit, but nobody ever comments on it, and I've never had anyone break my disguise and accuse me of being a Rak. Once you get those epic numbers, the amount of people able to break those levels are so minimal, I haven't found it an issue at all. I almost never see piety saves, and even then I've only ever seen 1 or 2 [Your Disguise Has Been Broken] messages. That would need to happen twice with two separate forms in a short enough timeframe for someone to remember your name. I've never had it happen, personally. I think if it does happen, it should be encouragement to bump up your own bluff/perform with whatever means you can. Keep in mind, it doesn't mean the person knows you're a rak, they could just think you're suspicious, or that your mannerisms are similar to another. Tell them you're related or something :D.
I don't play one. What I am trying to argue is that if we use your build and your items and switch it for a Human. The Human version will have about the same Bluff score. I am arguing Rakshasas should have it much easier to Bluff when compared to same build and items, because it makes sense.
Ah, i gotcha. It is funny that the yuan-tI are better bluffers than we are, getting their base bluff + gift if they wanted. Though, I've wondered if Rakshasa get the +10 from polymorph, due to sometimes feeling like my skill is higher than it actually is. But even if not, I think normally raising it + being able to shift is super bluff, even if skill wise, you're only 2-8 bluff more than anyone else. I dunno. Include perform in that bluff, add a human heart in the deal, and I'd be on board :D

Recent Characters:
Aramis - "S'fine piece of art yer havin' there." (Shelved)
Eradyn - Trying to make the world a better place. (Shelved)
[Redacted] - ? (?)
Skek - Happiness in Endless Industry. (Rolled)


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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Kalopsia » Sat Jul 02, 2022 11:04 pm

BattleDrake wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 10:59 pm
Shadowy Reality wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:01 pm
BattleDrake wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:43 pm


Do you play one and find this happens to you a lot? I know most Rakshasa, including myself, have very high bluff/perform. 80/90/100+. Something you just naturally build for. During leveling, you get your disguised broken quite a bit, but nobody ever comments on it, and I've never had anyone break my disguise and accuse me of being a Rak. Once you get those epic numbers, the amount of people able to break those levels are so minimal, I haven't found it an issue at all. I almost never see piety saves, and even then I've only ever seen 1 or 2 [Your Disguise Has Been Broken] messages. That would need to happen twice with two separate forms in a short enough timeframe for someone to remember your name. I've never had it happen, personally. I think if it does happen, it should be encouragement to bump up your own bluff/perform with whatever means you can. Keep in mind, it doesn't mean the person knows you're a rak, they could just think you're suspicious, or that your mannerisms are similar to another. Tell them you're related or something :D.
I don't play one. What I am trying to argue is that if we use your build and your items and switch it for a Human. The Human version will have about the same Bluff score. I am arguing Rakshasas should have it much easier to Bluff when compared to same build and items, because it makes sense.
Ah, i gotcha. It is funny that the yuan-tI are better bluffers than we are, getting their base bluff + gift if they wanted. Though, I've wondered if Rakshasa get the +10 from polymorph, due to sometimes feeling like my skill is higher than it actually is. But even if not, I think normally raising it + being able to shift is super bluff, even if skill wise, you're only 2-8 bluff more than anyone else. I dunno. Include perform in that bluff, add a human heart in the deal, and I'd be on board :D
Getting the +10 from Polymorph would also display them as polymorphed creatures when their disguise is broken, so I've deliberately not enabled that :D

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by BattleDrake » Sun Jul 03, 2022 12:29 am

Kalopsia wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 11:04 pm
BattleDrake wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 10:59 pm
Shadowy Reality wrote:
Sat Jul 02, 2022 4:01 pm


I don't play one. What I am trying to argue is that if we use your build and your items and switch it for a Human. The Human version will have about the same Bluff score. I am arguing Rakshasas should have it much easier to Bluff when compared to same build and items, because it makes sense.
Ah, i gotcha. It is funny that the yuan-tI are better bluffers than we are, getting their base bluff + gift if they wanted. Though, I've wondered if Rakshasa get the +10 from polymorph, due to sometimes feeling like my skill is higher than it actually is. But even if not, I think normally raising it + being able to shift is super bluff, even if skill wise, you're only 2-8 bluff more than anyone else. I dunno. Include perform in that bluff, add a human heart in the deal, and I'd be on board :D
Getting the +10 from Polymorph would also display them as polymorphed creatures when their disguise is broken, so I've deliberately not enabled that :D
Then I definitely prefer the way it is more :D

Recent Characters:
Aramis - "S'fine piece of art yer havin' there." (Shelved)
Eradyn - Trying to make the world a better place. (Shelved)
[Redacted] - ? (?)
Skek - Happiness in Endless Industry. (Rolled)


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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Paint » Sat Jul 09, 2022 12:29 pm

Never liked the idea of race rewards being a mechanical power thing. Raks are rare, unique, and have a lot of roleplay opportunity that comes with a -lot- of roleplay responsibility, too. A badly played Rak can seriously break the immersion of the setting. The whole idea being gating races behind rewards should be to keep the pops of odd races down so that encountering them feels special, not to give you a mechanical edge over other players.

Because the alternative is that you'd have a bunch of people grinding out rewards on a constant basis, making throw-away characters so they can try out some niche PVP build that emerges in Arelith's constantly evolving meta. But nobody would do that, right?

Right?

Anyways, I guess what I'm really saying is, nerf tieflings into the ground so I stop seeing so many of them.

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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Svrtr » Sat Jul 09, 2022 11:27 pm

Paint wrote:
Sat Jul 09, 2022 12:29 pm
Never liked the idea of race rewards being a mechanical power thing. Raks are rare, unique, and have a lot of roleplay opportunity that comes with a -lot- of roleplay responsibility, too. A badly played Rak can seriously break the immersion of the setting. The whole idea being gating races behind rewards should be to keep the pops of odd races down so that encountering them feels special, not to give you a mechanical edge over other players.

Because the alternative is that you'd have a bunch of people grinding out rewards on a constant basis, making throw-away characters so they can try out some niche PVP build that emerges in Arelith's constantly evolving meta. But nobody would do that, right?

Right?

Anyways, I guess what I'm really saying is, nerf tieflings into the ground so I stop seeing so many of them.
Already were. They no longer get a stat advantage.

They get a forced 2 gift choice selection for bloodline or don't go bloodline. AKA they are stat neutral with their base race.

All else they get is 15% DI versus limited elements, which is pretty meh. Nice but not super live saving. +2 to 2 skills, and a saveless debuff from banishment.


The real draw for tief that causes people to make new ones is horns, crazy skin color, and the RP, which can be for better or worse

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Paint
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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Paint » Sun Jul 10, 2022 12:12 am

Svrtr wrote:
Sat Jul 09, 2022 11:27 pm
Already were. They no longer get a stat advantage.

They get a forced 2 gift choice selection for bloodline or don't go bloodline. AKA they are stat neutral with their base race.

All else they get is 15% DI versus limited elements, which is pretty meh. Nice but not super live saving. +2 to 2 skills, and a saveless debuff from banishment.


The real draw for tief that causes people to make new ones is horns, crazy skin color, and the RP, which can be for better or worse
That last line was a bit of a cheeky joke as a way to sum up my view on award races. Tieflings are fine now, even if I think they're over-represented on Arelith.

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TroubledWaters
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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by TroubledWaters » Sun Jul 10, 2022 8:16 pm

I feel like Rakshasa's +8 bluff is very underwhelming compared with Yuan-ti, which get +10 with their minor gift, or even base humans, which get +4 with the minor gift but don't need to worry about being outed via divination or one-shot with a crossbow bolt.

Shapeshifting into any race would be normally be powerful in a PnP setting as you could get into areas without raising suspicion and avoid disguise checks. Here, however, when someone sees quotations around a name, they're going to be suspicious and examine you. Even if they don't beat your disguise, it's still likely that you will be discovered to be an outsider.

Right now, playing Rakshasa carries a lot of drawbacks for disguising yourself, without its shapeshifting ability actually covering for those drawbacks, which, in addition to those mentioned above, include a +5 ECL and awkward pre-selected gift stats.

One thing that could make a Rakshasa's bluff "better" than that of the other races, and provide a boon that actually counters out the race's drawbacks, is if once every so often they could request a name change so they could commit to a disguise without having the quotation marks follow them.

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Hazard
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Re: Rakshasa(sasasasa)s

Post by Hazard » Tue Jul 12, 2022 9:36 pm

I think Rakshasa is by far the most powerful major reward you could take, with the things it lets you accomplish.


But I agree the bluff bonus is weak sauce. +12!!! Come onnn.

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